Janice M. (Lemanski) Linder

Janice M. (Lemanski) Linder, 78, Marathon died Friday, December 18, 2020, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital from complications due to COVID with her daughter Debbie at her side. Donald, her husband, was also in the COVID unit and was able to spend time with her before she passed.

She was born May 27, 1942, in the town of Cassel to Casimir and Eulalia (Kafka) Lemanski. On October 7, 1961, she married Donald Linder at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cassel.

Janice worked 45 years at Marathon Cheese before retiring, being one of their longest employees. She created many hand drawn signs through the years for coworker’s celebrating special occasions. She was artistic, always doodling and drawing on whatever scrap of paper she could find.

She was also the families’ #1 caregiver. She selflessly cared for her mother and Aunt Junilla for many years before their passing and was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who may have needed it. She was a champion for everyone, always reaching out to make sure that they had everything they needed including many prayers to Saint Jude.

Janice was a devout Catholic, rarely missing mass even during the pandemic. She attended service each week on TV and prayed the rosary every night before going to sleep.

She loved to garden flowers, borrowing heirloom cuttings from both her parents and in-laws to fill the backyard with beautiful memories that attracted many species of birds. She was also a voracious reader, sometimes completing books in a single day and sharing them when she was finished with others. Her love of chocolate and ice cream was handed down to all her offspring and was the ending to almost every meal.

Survivors include her husband, Donald; daughters, Julie (David) Sittler, Gwendolyn (Kevin) Zuleger, and Debra (Robert) Linder-Mohr; son, Nathan (Sarah); grandchildren, Nicholas Baumann, Theodore (Mikena Fillhouer) Baumann, Maris (Cody) Pernsteiner, and Rhianna (Braden Schmidt) Zuleger; and great-granddaughter, Zaelyn Pernsteiner. She was to be blessed with a second great-grandchild in February 2021. She is further survived by two sisters; Geraldine Bloom, and Diann (Kim) Helnore; 4 brothers, Murilen Lemanski, Roger (Harriet) Lemanski, Byron (Karen) Lemanski, and James (Peggy) Lemanski; three sisters-in-law, Jackie Lemanski, Virginia (Ray Weiss) Springer and Ruth (Jerome) Warner, brother-in-law, Robert (Paulette) Linder, numerous nieces and nephews, and good friends Marilyn Hack, Ronnie Berres and Gertie Guralski.

She was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law, Irvin and Ruth Linder; sister, Anna Lemanski; brother Florian Lemanski; brothers-in-law, Frederick Linder, Paul Springer and Christie Bloom; sister-in-law, Maureen Lemanski; granddaughter, Hailey Zuleger; and several nephews and a niece.

Public visitation will be on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 10:00 until 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, Marathon, with a private funeral Mass to follow.  Rev. Msgr. Joseph Diermeier will preside.  Burial will be at St. Mary Cemetery, Marathon.  The funeral Mass will be livestreamed at 11:30 a.m. on the Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home facebook page.  Social distancing will be observed and face masks will be required to attend visitation and services.

Janice loved fresh flowers and dreamed of having the church filled with them when she passed, so the family asks that if you choose to send something for the funeral, that it please be fresh flowers (yellow roses were her favorite) or donations can be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Marathon for masses.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff in the COVID Unit at Aspirus Wausau Hospital for the wonderful care given to Janice and Donald.

If tears could build a stairway- And memories a lane
I would walk right up to heaven - And bring you home again
No farewell words were spoken - No time to say goodbye
You were gone before we knew it - And only God knows why
Our hearts still ache in sadness - And secret tears still flow
What it meant to lose you - No one will ever know
But now we know you want us - To mourn for you no more
To remember all the happy times - Life still has much in store
Since you will never be forgotten - We pledge to you today
A hallowed place within our Hearts - Is where you will always stay

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Janice M. (Lemanski) Linder, please visit our floral store.